Keeping It in the Family (Linstead)

Chapter 113

"I think we're set to go," Jay reported, walking into the living room where Erin and Clementine were sitting on the couch. They had highlights of the previous night's Cubs game on. He was referring to himself and Kayla, who were heading over to the new house to embark on the cleaning mission.

"Okay," Erin said, slowly getting up. She gave him a hug. "Thank you for doing this. Although, Jay?"

"What's up?" he asked quietly, kissing her on the side of the neck.

"I'm going to help out on Saturday when we move. I'm so bored of sitting in the corner like some kind of baby making machine. I want to be involved in things."

"If you're sure," Jay said cautiously. "Just don't want you to push yourself too hard. That's why I've been taking everything on."

"I know, and I love you for it. But I'm not that far gone yet. I'm going to do stuff until I feel like I shouldn't, okay?"

"Okay," he conceded.

Erin gave him a kiss on the lips and sat back down.

"Oh! That could be a home run!" Clementine cried as a Cubs player hammered a ball high into right field. "It's going to be close. Oh no!" she yelled as a fielder jumped at the wall and plucked the ball out of the air.

Jay smiled broadly, enjoying her excitement. "Nice announcing, Clem. But where's my hug goodbye?"

"I thought that was going to be a homer," she grumbled as she got off the couch to hug him. "I'm guessing no story tonight then?"

"Not tonight, sweet pea," he said regretfully as they embraced each other. "Once we're in the new house things will be less chaotic and we'll get back to reading Lord of the Rings most nights like we used to."

"Promise?" she asked, looking up at him.

She was so sweet that it would have been impossible to say no even if he wanted to. "I promise, Clem. Now, keep an eye on your mom for me, okay? And go to bed when she tells you, without any fuss. Okay?"

"Yeah," Clementine said, obviously not relishing the prospect of bed time.

"I'm ready, Jay, if you are," Kayla said in the doorway behind them. She was carrying two big buckets, both of which were full of cleaning supplies. "There's another bag of stuff on the table in the kitchen if you can grab it."

"Right, let's do it," he said.

-----

Before long, Jay was pulling his car onto the driveway of his new home. He loved thinking of it that way, even though they were not living in it yet. He looked at his watch and saw that it was a couple of minutes after 7pm. That was bad, since no one else was there.

"We said 7pm, right?" he asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm sure everyone's coming," Kayla said confidently.

"What did you say your friend's name is again?"

"Kalinda. I messaged her earlier to confirm, and she said she hadn't forgotten. Your offer to order pizzas when we're done seemed to be well received. Oh, here she comes now. Let's go meet her."

Jay got out of the car. "Yes, I think it was the pizza that won Zelina, my colleague who is coming, over. That and some persuasion from Raquel."

A dark blue Jeep had parked up near the end of the driveway. An Indian woman in her mid-thirties wearing black pants and a red leather jacket got out. Her black hair was up in a bun. She was very pretty, Jay thought. If Kayla had anything more than friendship going on there she was a lucky woman, he thought. Not that he had any basis to suspect there was more than friendship between them.